The Ruthless Magic of the Song of Healing
by SpicyCookie
Summary: It seems like a normal storm to one girl, but when she hears a call for help and the chuckle of a man, she realizes that something is definitely wrong.


div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"Lightning flashed out my window as I read a large intriguing novel in the corner of my bedroom. I was alone, and all was quiet except for the thunder and the pattering of the storm. Wind whistled and trees shook, but none of this bothered me. I flipped the page in my book, anticipating the next part, when the lights turned off./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"'No biggee,' I thought, grinning slightly, ' I'll just get a candle,' I walked out of my room partly blind, and fell upon a box of matches and two candles, ' ah, perfect.'/div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"Finding my way back to my room, I got comfy and set up the candles in the spots I preferred. With a flick of my wrist, I lit a match and then the two candles. I looked upwards for a second, back down, then quickly up again, 'Something's in my line of vision.' I thought suspiciously./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"I turned to the left and jumped slightly. A little girl that looked about eight sat in the far-left corner of my room. Her dull, brown eyes looked at me sadly, and under her eyes were dark shadows. She brought her knees to her chest, covering her pink shirt and part of her jeans. Her pale skin seemed to glow next to her messily brown, braided hair./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""Help me..." she whispered./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"Lightning flashed and the girl disappeared. My heart began to beat faster. 'Where did she go?' Thunder boomed, a hand wiped the flames off the candle, and the room became dark again./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""Your'e a long way from home, aren't you?" A creepy man's voice said. The voice chuckles then fades away./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"Startled, I jumped up. "Who are you?" I asked the voice, my own shaking./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""I'm the Happy Masked Salesman. I go to very different regions to collect special masks from various people." A man formed out of the darkness. He was hunched over from a large backpack that was bigger than him. The backpack hid most of his clothing, but I did see he wore a purple cloak. He grinned at me, and never opened his eyes. His red hair almost blended in with his unusual backpack with assorted masks strewn all over it./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""I'm looking for someone, a little girl," he continued, " have you seen her by any chance?"/div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"I thought back to the little girl who looked ghostly pale and had asked for help. Help from this man obviously./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""No, I haven't seen her." I told him, my voice wavered slightly./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""Ohh, too bad..." he backed up slowly and turned about 90°./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"'He's leaving... good.' I thought./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"Just then, he turned around with his eyes wide open and pure white. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me repeatedly. "Where is she?!"he screamed at me," she's here somewhere! Tell me!"/div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"I started crying. He kept holding my shoulders tightly, and it hurt tremendously," I don't know! I don't know where she is!" I blubbered./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""Stop! Please stop! You can take me..." The girl appeared again in the corner and stood slowly./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"He stopped instantly and threw me backwards. I stumbled and glared at him," Ah yes," he resumed to smiling gleefully, his frightful eyes closed once again, "come."/div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"She walked slowly toward him, and whimpered softly. A grand piano suddenly appeared and the Happy Masked Salesman sat on the bench./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"He then began playing a treacherous tune, one that was soft, quiet, and creepy. The decreasing notes and increasing dynamic frightened me, but took a greater toll on the little girl./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"She shivered as the song increased, and the Happy Masked Salesman grinne wickedly. Suddenly, she burst, and where her feet once were was now a mask that looked just like her./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""Ah, finally," he left the bench and grabbed the new mask," now to rid myself of YOU."/div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"I backed away quickly, and out of nowhere humming was heard. The same song the salesman just played came from the same corner as earlier. From the corner of my eye, I saw the sillouette of the girl./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""Play the song..." she whispered, then appeared next to the piano./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"He still approached me, and I ran up to him and pushed my shoulder into his chest. He fell to the ground, on top of his backpack, so he wobbled like a turtle stuck on his shell./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"I sprinted over to the bench and sat down." How did it go..?" I ask myself. The girl motioned me the keys he had played. I than began to play. It repeated slowly at first. Then, I started playing faster./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"" No, you worthless girl!" He screamed at me. He picked himself up and threw me off the piano bench, " It doesn't work on me." His eyes opened and my eyes closed out of fear. He sat down than began playing one last time. I stood there, paralyzed, the magic of the song working through me. I felt something leave me then... nothing./div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);""You're no longer part of your home," he softly said," forever, you'll be away from this place, with me, seeing me sacrifice people to my masks." /div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"No.../div  
div style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094);"Rain poured, lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and the music and darkness consumed me for the last time./div 


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